Transcript for May 7

REP. PELOSI: Well, I, myself, am against them. But the point is, is there are choices to be made in our budgets, and, and I will tell you more the Democrats are going to do when we take over the Congress of the United States. But this energy independence is worth—it is a high priority and I think the American people would agree. Now, we have a national security issue, an environmental issue, an economic issue and an energy issue, all well served by—by our energy independence. We have put this in writing. We are committed to it and this week our rural caucus will roll out, roll out.

MR. RUSSERT: But the concern people have, truth in packaging, honesty, authenticity. How are you going to pay for this?

REP. PELOSI: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: When people were asked about the government in terms of polling, do you approve of the U.S. Congress or disapprove? Look at these numbers: approve, 22 percent; disapprove, 65 percent.

REP. PELOSI: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: Sixty-five percent of Americans disapprove. And when asked why do you disapprove, look at this: We’re tired of the, the Democrats and Republicans fighting, 44.

REP. PELOSI: Yeah.

MR. RUSSERT: Nothing getting done, 36; too many members corrupt or unethical, 34. The American people have a bipartisan view of Congress.

REP. PELOSI: But that’s the way it’s always been.

MR. RUSSERT: They don’t like it.

REP. PELOSI: That’s the way it’s always been. But let me say this.

MR. RUSSERT: It’s not always.

REP. PELOSI: No, I meant when they don’t like Congress, they don’t like everybody in Congress. But let me say this, one of the principles, the first, one of the first principles that we have when you’re talking about paying for it, Democrats are committed to pay as you go, no deficit spending. This has been a—this is our commitment. And that’s what we say to them.

MR. RUSSERT: So you’ll balance the budget next year?

REP. PELOSI: We did it before.

MR. RUSSERT: You’ll balance the budget?

REP. PELOSI: We can’t budget and balance—President Bush has taken us to such a place you can’t balance in one year, but we’ll put ourselves on a course of balance. But we did when President Clinton was president because of the Democratic economic package, we were on a course of action...

MR. RUSSERT: So wait a minute. So they’ll be no increase in spending if the Democrats take control of Congress?

REP. PELOSI: No deficit spending. I pledge that to you. No deficit spending, pay as you go. Pay as you go.

MR. RUSSERT: So even if you had to raise taxes to pay for the new program?

REP. PELOSI: Well, you put everything on the table and you decide what are the priorities for the American people. But a commitment to no deficit spending is a long-term one with the Democrats, and we were successful. When President Clinton was president, their last four budgets—his last four budgets were in surplus. We came out of the Clinton years $5.6 trillion dollars in surplus, surplus. The Bush policies turn that around. Now we’re $9 trillion dollars debt ceiling when we could’ve been eight—debt-free as a nation by 2008. This is a very high priority for us because it’s a responsibility to our country, it’s a responsibility to our children that we do not heap all of this debt on them. So this is—this is a new era. We’ve had a reversal of roles here. The Democrats, no deficit spending, pay as you go. And that’s what we will do on the first day of Congress is to pass that rule for, for budgeting in the House.

MR. RUSSERT: Headlines in the Capitol Hill paper: “Dems prepare for transition.” Today’s Washington Post: “Confident Dems lay out agenda.” You’re measuring the draperies in the speaker’s office.

REP. PELOSI: No we’re not. No we’re not. The American people would like to know what we would do if we take over.

MR. RUSSERT: Ah, absolutely. If they...

REP. PELOSI: And that’s what...

MR. RUSSERT: ...and let me ask you about that, because you told The Washington Post that there will be investigations if the Democrats regain control of the House. The chairman of the Judiciary Committee would be someone named John Conyers. I went up to his Web site and this is what’s on his Web site: “Stand with Congressman Conyers. Demand an investigation of administration abuses of power and make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment.”

REP. PELOSI: Democrats are not about impeachment. Democrats are about bringing the country together. This is what we have to do.

MR. RUSSERT: But that’s the man who would be chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

REP. PELOSI: Yeah, but that is not where the decision would be made. This is a—what I had told The Washington Post was that we will assume the responsibility that this Congress—this do-nothing, rubber-stamp Congress, rubber-stamp for President Bush—hasn’t done, has not exercised the congressional obligation and responsibility to have oversight.

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